Stéphane Peterhansel wins at the wheel of his Audi during the second stage of the Dakar-2024, 29 seconds ahead of his compatriot Sébastien Loeb. Thanks to this victory, “Monsieur Dakar” is nothing like the record of the Finn, Ari Vatanen. Carlos Sainz takes the general’s lead.
The Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel made his pursuers bite the dust by winning on Sunday during the 2nd stage of the Dakar-2024 on Sunday in Al-Duwadimi, his 50th stage victory in a car on the rally-raid, while his teammate at Audi Carlos Sainz takes the overall lead.
“I stopped counting the number of stage victories a little”
With his 50th, “Monsieur Dakar” returns to the level of the Finn Ari Vatanen. He completed this long 470 km special 29 seconds ahead of his compatriot Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive), according to the provisional results. The American Seth Quintero (Toyota) completes the stage podium at 3 min 11. “I’ve kind of stopped counting the number of stage victories, to come back to the same level as him is always nice ( …) I still have a chance to beat him then,” declared Stéphane Peterhansel at the end of his special.
Double defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah finished 4th in the stage, 6 min 28 behind Peterhansel’s Audi. The Spaniard Carlos Sainz, second on Saturday, finished 17 min 15 behind his teammate but the three-time winner of the Dakar (2010, 2018, 2020) took the lead in the provisional general classification – Guillaume de Mevius (Toyota) having arrived more than 26 min. The Saudi Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota), 5th in the stage at 7 min 11, climbs to 2nd place in the provisional general standings, ahead of Sébastien Loeb.
On Monday, the 3rd stage will be still long for the drivers with 438 km of special between Al-Duwadimi and Al-Salamiya. And one particularity: at the end of the stage, they will have two hours of assistance on their car, not a second more, before returning to the bivouac.